Telephone directory holder

ABSTRACT

A telephone directory holder in which the directory is pivotally mounted on a generally upright, inwardly directed tube which, in combination with a stop limiting the outward movement of the directory holder, assures that the directory holder will always be returned to its inner position when it is released by the user.

United States Patent 1191 Hannula [4 1 Feb. 13,1973

1541 TELEPHONE DIRECTORY HOLDER [7 5] Inventor: Leslie A. Hannula, Waukegan, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Acoustics Development Corporation,

Northbrook, 111.

22 Filed: Feb. 24, 1911 [21] Appl.No.: 118,234

[52] U.S. Cl. ..248/447 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47b 27/04 [58] Field of Search ..248/441, 447; 312/233 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 666,674 1/1901 Hoffman ..248/447 2,605,073 7/1952 Buck ..248/204 2,959,885 11/1960 Upton ..248/447 3,317,176 5/1967 Herrin ....3 12/233 X 1,017,121 2/1912 Walsh ..248/447 Primary Examiner-William 1-1. Schultz Attorney-Parker, Carter & Markey [5 7] ABSTRACT A telephone directory holder in which the directory is pivotally mounted on a generally upright, inwardly directed tube which, in combination with a stop limiting the outward movement of the directory holder, assures that the directory holder will always be returned to its inner position when it is released by the user.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB 1 3 197a ShEET 10F 23 TELEPHONE DIRECTORY HOLDER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a telephone directory holder and in particular to such a directory holder which automatically returns to the inner position after release by the user.

A primary purpose of the invention is a telephone directory holder of the type described, mounted on an upright pivot, having a slight inward direction which, in combination with a stop limiting outward movement of the directory holder, assures that it will automatically return to its inner or closed position.

Another purpose is a directory holder of the type described including a spring positioned to contact the directory holder when it is in its full outward position and arranged to bias or urge the directory holder to the inner or closed position.

Another purpose is a reliably operable simply constructed directory holder of the type described.

Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a directory holder of the type described,

FIG. 2 is a side view,

FIG. 3 is a top view of the base,

FIG. 4 is a section along plane 4-4 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a top view of the structure in FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a view showing a detail.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An L-shaped angular support member 10 may include an upright back section 12 and a lower bottom section 14 generally at right angles to the back 12. At the upper end of the back 12 is an attaching bracket 16 which may have a pair of holes 18 which receive mounting screws 20 for attaching the directory holder to the underneath side of a typical telephone booth shelf 22.

A pivot is indicated generally at 24 and may include a lower tubular portion 26 welded or otherwise suitably attached to the bottom 14 and a generally upright tubular portion 28 which has a slight inward direction toward the back 12. A bracket indicated generally at 30 may have its lower end 32 attached to the support 10 at the corner where the back 12 and the bottom 14 meet and may have a generally horizontal upper portion 34 which supports the upper end of the tubular pivot 28. A pair of mounting holes 36 are formed in the bracket portion 34 for use in attaching the front part of the directory holder to the underneath side of the telephone shelf 22.

- The directory holder is indicated generally at 38 and includes a back 40 and a pair of sides 42. A hinge 44 encloses part of the tubular upright pivot 28 and is attached to the back 40. A pair of generally curved directory supports 46 are positioned on opposite sides of the directory holder and attached to the outside of the sides 42. The directory holder may be completed by a handle 48, as will be explained in detail.

A directory 50, with the customary hard cover, is positioned within the directory holder and has an upright bracket 52 which is pivotally mounted on a rod 54 between a pair of spacers 56. The rod is positioned at the upper portion of the directory holder between opposite sides 42 and the spacers 56 assure that the directory will be positioned midway within the directory holder.

A spring 58 is attached to the underneath side of bracket portion 34 and has an arm 60 positioned to return the directory holder to its inner position. A stop 62 integral with bracket portion 34 is used to limit outward movement of the directory.

Normally the directory will be closed within the directory holder and will be in the inner position of FIG. 2. When it is desired to use the directory holder, the handle 48 is grasped and the directory holder is pivoted on the tubular member 28 until it has been moved as far out as possible. The outer position, however, is not a full of travel from the inner position, but is slightly less. The spring 58 and stop 62 limit the outer movement of the directory holder to something less than 180 travel from the inner position. At this point the directory is grasped and moved upwardly above the curved supports 46 to an open position for use.

After use of the directory has been completed, it is closed by the user and allowed to fall back into the directory holder between the sides 42 and the curved supports 46. The directory holder will then automatically return to the inner position.

The return of the directory holder is brought about by the combination of the inwardly-directed support 28, spring 58 and the fact that the directory holder cannot come to a full open position. The weight of the holder 38 on the side that causes it to pivot inwardly. The cooperation of the inwardly directed tubular member 28 and the position of stop 62 provides an inward turning force which automatically starts the holder on its return path to the inner position. The return is assisted by the spring 58. When the directory holder is in the full out position, arm 60 of the spring 58 is compressed against the body of the spring member, with arm 60 providing a bias to assist the directory holder back to its inner position.

Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it should be realized that there may be many modifications, substitutions and alterations thereto.

Iclaim:

1. In a telephone directory holder for mounting on a telephone booth or the like, a support member, a generally upright pivot extending from one end of said support member, said pivot being directed inwardly toward said support member,a bracket attached to the top of said pivot and to a portion of said support member, a directory holder pivotally mounted on said pivot, means for movably attaching a directory into said directory holder, said directory holder being movable between an inner position and an outer position, a stop on said bracket limiting the outward position of said directory holder to less than a full open position, a spring attached to said bracket and positioned against the directory holder when it is in the outer position, said spring biasing said directory holder the directory holder.

3. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said support member is generally L-shaped, said pivot having a portion extending along one side of said L-shaped support member and being attached thereto. 

1. In a telephone directory holder for mounting on a telephone booth or the like, a support member, a generally upright pivot extending from one end of said support member, said pivot being directed inwardly toward said support member, a bracket attached to the top of said pivot and to a portion of said support member, a directory holder pivotally mounted on said pivot, means for movably attaching a directory into said directory holder, said directory holder being movable between an inner position and an outer position, a stop on said bracket limiting the outward position of said directory holder to less than a full open position, a spring attached to said bracket and positioned against the directory holder when it is in the outer position, said spring biasing said directory holder from the outer position toward the inner position, the combination of the inwardly-directed pivot, the spring and stop assuring that the directory holder always returns to its inner position, when released.
 1. In a telephone directory holder for mounting on a telephone booth or the like, a support member, a generally upright pivot extending from one end of said support member, said pivot being directed inwardly toward said support member, a bracket attached to the top of said pivot and to a portion of said support member, a directory holder pivotally mounted on said pivot, means for movably attaching a directory into said directory holder, said directory holder being movable between an inner position and an outer position, a stop on said bracket limiting the outward position of said directory holder to less than a full open position, a spring attached to said bracket and positioned against the directory holder when it is in the outer position, said spring biasing said directory holder from the outer position toward the inner position, the combination of the inwardlydirected pivot, the spring and stop assuring that the directory holder always returns to its inner position, when released.
 2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the means for movably attaching a directory include a pivotal rod attached adjacent the upper end of the directory holder. 